


Something's Fishy at the Wedding

by Tiofrean



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, Angry Rick is Hot, Drunk Daryl, Drunk Lori, Drunk Rick, Fish, Fluff, Frottage, Fun All Around, Groping, Humor, It's a wedding, M/M, Merle is a Good Big Brother, Michandrea's Wedding, No Wedding Without a Fight, Owls Made Me Do It, Rick is Divorcing Lori, Rick is Done With Lori's Shit, Shane being Shane, Smut, everyone is drunk, fun fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-12
Updated: 2018-03-12
Packaged: 2019-03-30 10:31:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13949718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tiofrean/pseuds/Tiofrean
Summary: A boring wedding, goldfish* in trouble and a stranger who seems interested in Rick - just what the doctor prescribed for a failed marriage and a serious lack of happiness. If only things went as smoothly as everybody wished...*No goldfish were harmed during the writing of that fic.





	Something's Fishy at the Wedding

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ArcticLucie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcticLucie/gifts), [MermaidSheenaz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MermaidSheenaz/gifts), [Sorran](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorran/gifts).



> So a long time ago we had a blast thinking up a Michandrea's wedding that Rick attended with Lori. The girls ([ArcticLucie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcticLucie/profile), [MermaidSheenaz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MermaidSheenaz/profile), and [Sorran](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorran/profile)) were kind enough to brainstorm all those ridiculous ideas and a fic was born, so I took the opportunity and wrote it finally. 
> 
> I promise there's mostly fluff and humor, Rick and Lori are divorcing, and Shane is a lost puppy. It was supposed to be a happy little fic so some things are blamed on alcohol ;) 
> 
> Big thanks to [MermaidSheenaz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MermaidSheenaz/profile) for giving it a solid once-over and pointing out all the glaring mistakes <3 
> 
> Enjoy!

Rick sighed and ran his hand through his hair for the upteenth time this evening. It was hot inside the room - late August was still hot in the middle of the day - and the amount of people squished in didn’t really help the situation. He looked to his left and watched Lori absentmindedly, following the movements of her hand as it stabbed a piece of green… _something_ with a fork. He turned back to his own plate and dug into his own meal, praying that the night would start to move along a bit quicker.

 

-&-

 

Daryl groaned, looking at his brother. They were sitting at a table that had more food than Daryl thought possible for people to eat - various dishes squished together on big, white-clothed tables, decorated with flowers and fish tanks. Yes, _fish tanks_ , because apparently that was a thing now. On every other table, in the center of it, placed precariously between salad and mashed potatoes, little goldfish were swimming happily, apparently placed there to bring luck to the newlyweds and the guests alike. And it only sucked that the fish didn’t bring any luck to themselves.

Daryl groaned again, watching with raising irritation as Merle attempted to fish one of the little creatures out of its tank with a spoon. Of course, the fish was way smarter than his big brother, and with a few quick moves it swam past the spoon, splashing a bit of water onto the table. Merle shrugged and leaned back, stating that _‘he’s way too sober for that’_ , and took his glass, emptying it in a few gulps. Thankfully, he had also put the spoon back on the table, and so Daryl could breathe a sigh of relief and go back to scanning the crowd.

The wedding was a nice party, he had to admit that. He hated large crowds, but this was quite a small affair. The bride and bride, Michonne and Andrea, looked smashing - the sole reason his brother insisted on being his _plus one_ tonight, Daryl reckoned. Merle would never pass the opportunity to see two lesbians kiss, and even if both of them were very much taken and even had a little baby boy - Michonne’s son from her previous marriage - Merle still tried to make an impression. It was a bitch for Daryl, who tried to keep his idiot of a brother in tight reigns and not let him ruin his friend’s wedding.

Michonne had been a police officer before her divorce. After the breakup, she decided to take some time off to focus on raising Andre. Daryl had met her soon after, working out at the gym and going through her moves on martial arts. They had talked, they had become friends. Now they owned a martial arts training center, a small joint that, despite its size, had quickly become popular in their little town. The friendship grew even bigger and so, Michonne asked Daryl to be her best man on the wedding. Of course he agreed. And now he was here, seated with half of the town’s police force hooting for Michonne and Andrea, both.

Andrea was still on active duty, working with all those fine men and women that were positively gleaming in their official wear today, and even if Daryl felt a bit out of place, he tried not to show it. He just sat there, scanning the crowd for any potential trouble and sipped his beer slowly. It was his duty, right? To make sure the wedding went smoothly, that there was always alcohol on the table and that all the guests went home happy. And so, Daryl continued to make mental notes about every single person in the room, making threat-assessment and filing the possible dangers away for later use. He also tried not to stare too much at the other best man, seated at the table opposite to him, with a willow of a wife positively _planted_ right next to that handsome, curly-haired guy. It wasn’t like the guy screamed danger to Daryl, even if he was clearly a sheriff's deputy. No, his eyes were bored beyond reason and definitely tired, but damn, were they beautiful. Daryl shook his head violently, trying to get rid of those baby blues, and looked at his brother again. He almost jumped out of his chair.

“Merle!” Daryl growled, eyes narrowing dangerously. “What the fuck are ya doin’?”  
“Now I’m drunk enough for it, _but they ain’t_ ” Merle groused, opening up another bottle of beer and pouring it into the little fish tank, making the fish scramble in all directions. Daryl gritted his teeth and snatched the bottle from his brother’s hand, emptying the rest to his own glass. He went back to scanning the crowd.

 

-&-

 

It was all a farce and Rick was so done with it. Not the wedding, not Andrea and Michonne’s wedding, more like… his own wedding had been a farce, alright? He was way too young and naive to know what he had gotten himself into, and because his parents had kept on pushing… and _Lori’s_ parents had kept on pushing, they had married very young. High school love and all that jazz. Everything started to fall down with time that, as always, showed them just how not meant for each other they had been.

And now Rick was here, his marriage in tatters, not really happy to be sitting on a _wedding_ , nevertheless, and pretend that everything was peachy, even if his brain was busy mentally signing the final divorce papers. He and Lori had already been in separation, something that Lori didn’t really like, but something that she agreed to reluctantly. She was still trying to win Rick back, but the way she was doing it only served to make Rick even more distant. She only had idiotic ideas recently, like insisting that she went to this very wedding with him. Rick had agreed reluctantly, not really keen on quarreling with her, even if he was aware that their marriage was a farce. They had Carl and Judith to consider, and if being civilised meant he could keep the kids somehow, then Rick was willing to do it. Thank god they weren’t here - would be bored out of their minds, just like Rick was.

Rick looked around, watching people dance and chat merrily, getting progressively more drunk. Seeing as there was nothing better to do, Rick decided to get drunk too - at least this way he could forget about his failed marriage. He picked up his glass and raised it just as Shane started to pour everyone another round. His son's smiling face flashed briefly through his mind and the wave of guilt accompanying him made him dizzy for a moment, but when the taste of alcohol hit him, Rick knew he was on the right path.

 

-&-

 

Daryl watched in amazement as the pretty-eyed sheriff downed drink after drink, barely pausing to wolf down some food in-between shots. This guy had some serious problems and, judging by the way he ignored his _plus one_ for the whole evening, Daryl could easily guess that she was the source. He didn’t have more time to ponder this, though, for the next thing he knew, there was a splash to his right, and a triumphant _‘AHAAAA!’_ rang in his ears. He turned to his brother, eyes widening when he saw Merle, his right hand dripping wet, holding one unfortunate goldfish between his fingers, looking at it with a manic smile. The poor creature wiggled and jolted, but nothing helped. And then Merle opened his mouth and brought the fish closer…

Daryl was out of his seat in a blink of an eye.  
“What the fuck!?” He snarled at Merle, grabbing the fish and trying to tug it free of his brother’s rough fingers.  
“Just having a snack, baby bro” Merle’s eyes glinted dangerously, but he still wore that shit-eating grin of his. Daryl tugged harder.  
“Give me that!”  
“No.”  
“Merle, I swear to god…”  
“Or wha? You’ll get me thrown out, Darleena?” Merle joked, but after seeing Daryl gritting his teeth, he seemed to think it over. _There were a lot of officers in this room_. “Oh, _fine_ ” he rolled his eyes dramatically and let the animal go.

Daryl choose this precise moment to tug a bit harder, trying not to squeeze the poor creature to death, and this, combined with Merle’s sudden cooperation, made the slippery fish fly. They both looked with mouths open as it sailed over a few guests and landed somewhere at the opposite table.

 

-&-

 

There was a loud yell next to him and Rick almost choked on a piece of meat he was munching. He coughed a few times, trying to clear his airways, and looked at Lori, who was frantically pawing at her cleavage. He spit the meat out finally and rushed in to help - Lori may not be his favorite person in the world right now, but she was still a woman in distress, and Rick was still the gentleman ready to save her.

“Oh my god, oh my god!” Lori kept screeching while her hands flailed panicky, and Rick had to grab them first to even get through to her.  
“Hey, Lori, calm down…”  
“IT’S IN THERE RICK, TAKE IT OUT!” she all but screamed and Rick winced from the sheer volume of it. He finally managed to pry her hands away enough to actually take a look and -  
“Oh my GOD!” he was speechless. He was also sure that he heard a small snort coming from Shane’s direction, but he ignored it, in favor of looking down.

There, nestled neatly between Lori’s breasts was a wiggling tail of a goldfish. The little creature jumped wildly and tried to worm its way out of the trap, and Rick had never seen a more hilarious scene in his _life_. He bit his lips to stop himself from guffawing like a five-year-old and bravely dove with one hand, grasping the tail on the third try and pulling the little thing out.  
“Hello there” he greeted, looking as it stopped jostling and just dangled sadly from his fingers. He couldn’t help the grin that spread over his lips, which apparently was the wrong thing to show to Lori, for in the next moment she stood up abruptly, toppling over the chair behind her, and stormed out hurriedly, looking for the ladies room.

Rick cleared his throat, the grin slowly fading from his face as he looked around. Everyone was pretty shocked apart from one guy at the opposite table, who was leaning over it and trying not to choke on his own laughter. Rick threw one last glance at the sad little animal and stood up, making his way to the apparent idiot sitting there.  
“I think you’ve lost something” Rick started, but another guy piped in, reaching his hand out and looking apologetically at Rick.  
“Sorry fer that” he glared at the still laughing man, “my idiot brother don’t have no manners”. Rick shrugged and handed him the fish, which was soon plopped into one of the tanks and thankfully seemed to be fine after a few seconds. Rick didn’t pay it any attention, though, too busy looking at the other man.

“Well, well… If that ain’t Officer Friendly” Merle whistled quietly, and Rick turned to him slowly.  
“Yeah, just like half of the guests here, so if you don’t want to be escorted out, I’d take a break” Rick ground out, narrowing his eyes. Daryl opened his mouth to instinctively protect his brother, then thought better of it. The fucker had it coming.

Merle just looked at Rick, then at Daryl. He whistled once more and grabbed a pack of his cigarettes that was laying on the table.  
“I’m gonna grab a smoke. Don’t want no trouble, _officer_ ” he stated with a toothy grin and wandered outside.

The whole room seemed to calm down after that and Rick was happy to see that the guests went back to their routine of eating, drinking and laughing. He looked back at the man still standing next to him and smiled.  
“I’m Rick” he extended one hand in a greeting.  
“Daryl” the man shook it with quite some strength. Rick wasn’t surprised by that - the width of his shoulders was impressive even beneath the suit he had squeezed himself into. Daryl radiated strength for miles.  
“So…” Rick started, not really sure where he was going with this.  
“So. A beer?” Thankfully, Daryl seemed to know the right direction. Rick nodded, sitting next to him as Daryl took the initiative of finding him a fresh glass and an unopened bottle.

“Sorry for that, man” he started, but Rick just waved him off.  
“It was pretty funny” Rick breathed in a small voice, fighting that stupid grin again. He dared a look at Daryl and was pleased to see a smirk forming on his lips. Good god, that guy was definitely hot.  
“I thought ya’d be more pissed ‘bout yer lady there” Daryl pointed Lori with a slight bob of his head and Rick couldn’t fight the grin this time.  
“She ain’t my lady. And she had it coming.”  
“Huh?” Daryl asked eloquently and almost cursed himself. _Way to go, the hot boy is actually talking to you after that stunt Merle pulled. Be more civilized, will ya?_  
“It’s a long story…” Rick grimaced but Daryl leaned a bit forward anyway.  
“We’ve got time… ya’ve _seen_ the guests ‘ere?” Daryl groaned and took a long swing of his beer. “Everyone’s so up and tight they look like they may snap” Rick had to giggle hearing this. He tried to stop it, he really did, but it burst out of him anyway. Daryl smirked again and motioned for him to get on with it.

Rick wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol he had already had coursing through his system or if it was just that Daryl was easy to talk to, but he found himself spilling half of his life story to the man, including his recent divorce-in-progress and the general misery in his life. Daryl nodded and listened, nodding some more, until Rick’s words finally trailed off and he sighed heavily.  
“That sucks, man” Daryl summed everything up and for Rick’s alcohol-addled brain it was so perfect he laughed aloud. Daryl gave him a thoughtful look and Rick had to look away, feeling his face heating up. _One drink too many, huh?_

“So…” Rick started after a moment. “What are you doing here?” He asked, even though he had a vague idea that Daryl was Michonne’s best man. The guy shrugged.  
“’m pouring vodka and keeping fish from getting eaten by my dumbass brother” he stated with so much seriousness in his voice Rick couldn’t help but grin.  
“Your brother does that a lot?” He asked, mostly to keep the man talking. There was something in Daryl’s gruffy voice which made Rick’s whole body fill with a buzz far more pleasant than that provided by the alcohol he had consumed.  
“Nah. Jus’ being an idiot. He can behave” Daryl explained. “Poor fellas deserve somethin’ better, tho” he looked to the fish tank, reaching with one hand and slowly dipping one finger in. Rick watched, enthralled, as they swam away briefly, panicked that another onslaught was coming, before they started to get closer, nipping at Daryl’s finger curiously.

It took a few minutes, but finally one of them swam around and under the fingertip and, as Daryl moved it carefully, the little creature brushed against it. Rick couldn’t stop himself from admiring just how gentle this apparently gruff man could be, and how good he was with animals. Soon enough, another fish joined the first and before Rick could really process this, all of the fish were swimming happily around Daryl’s finger, letting him pet them. Rick sat there, observing the fluid motion of Daryl’s hand, the careful way he touched those little creatures, as images popped into his brain, unbidden.

Daryl touching something else with those careful fingers. Daryl moving his hand in a fluid motion over something _bigger… Daryl jacking Rick off with the same attention he paid the fish-_

Rick choked on his own saliva and coughed to clear his airways, images disappearing from his mind as quickly as they had come. A large hand clapped him on his back and he coughed some more, taking in a few gulping breaths.  
“Ya okay?” Daryl asked, taking his hand away once Rick nodded.  
“Yeah… just… fuck…” _yes, please_ \- Rick’s dick jumped up and he willed it back down. “How are you so good with that?” He asked, taking a sip of his beer and glancing at Daryl.  
“Dunno. Always liked animals, ya know? Had a pet fish once, liked to tickle it an’ shit” Daryl shrugged, eyeing him. Rick laughed.  
“Tickling fish?”  
“Yeah. Should try it, ‘s fun” Daryl prompted, the corners of his mouth quirking up. Rick squinted at the tank, decided _‘why the hell not?’_ and reached out with his hand. He had to reach out pretty far and so, he placed his other hand for support on Daryl’s knee - toppling over the whole table at his friend’s wedding would not be a nice thing to do.

“Go slow, let ‘em get used to ya” Daryl instructed and leaned a bit to the side, distributing Rick’s weight better. Or so Rick thought, until he felt Daryl’s hand on his own knee. He looked away from the fish that had just started to nip at his own finger, but Daryl’s eyes were focused on the tank. Rick looked back.

The hand moved.

Rick bit down a moan when it trailed up and down his thigh, getting closer and closer to his groin, effectively stirring his so-far-well-behaved cock. And then, curious fingers splayed over his length, dug in a little and Rick almost jumped at the electric current that rushed through him.  
“Daryl?” Rick asked, turning back to look at Daryl. The man was staring at him, blue eyes smoky hot, bottom lip trapped between his teeth. The hand on his lap moved again and started to knead him through his too-tight dress trousers and he couldn’t really stifle the moan that escaped him.

Daryl wasn’t really sure what prompted him to grope Rick - maybe it was the way Rick had sounded so miserable earlier, pouring his heart out to Daryl, or maybe it was the way Rick’s pink tongue got stuck between his lips when he was concentrating hard on tickling fish… maybe it was Rick’s hand placed on Daryl’s knee that gave him the courage? Or alcohol, merrily coursing through his veins - he had consumed far more than his duty tonight allowed. In the end, Daryl wasn’t sure what it was, but he didn’t need to be. After he placed his own hand on Rick and started a slow, teasing exploration, Rick just froze, then relaxed, and then got hard, which Daryl could feel clearly even through the layer of his pristine dress trousers. Daryl figured that if he hadn’t been punched till now, he must have guessed correctly at Rick wanting him like that.

He continued to move his hand and squeezed Rick through the silky fabric, until Rick turned to him, gaze smoldering, Daryl’s name on his lips a lust-filled sigh.  
“Wanna do somethin’ ‘bout it?” Daryl asked and Rick bit his lip hard enough for it to hurt. That voice, _that fucking voice_ … raspy like a pack of cigarettes, hot like molten lava… He had to stifle another groan before he could even try to formulate a reply. And the alcohol wasn't really helping with being articulate right now.  
“Where… where do you have in mind?” He asked breathily, glancing around at the other guests. Nobody paid them any attention and Rick relaxed a little. Just a little, Daryl’s hand was still massaging him through his trousers.  
“The closet to the right” Daryl told him and his hand left Rick with one last squeeze. He almost whined at the loss. “Go in first, I’ll pour ‘em all a round and come after” Daryl said, grabbing a bottle of vodka. Rick nodded and discreetly adjusted his hard-on, before he got up and walked over to the closet. He slipped inside, using the distraction Daryl provided by opening a fresh bottle. Rick walked in, giving up on looking for the light switch and closed the door behind himself.

Rick wasn’t in the closet alone for long, just long enough to start second-guessing what the fuck he was even doing, before Daryl opened the door. The light fell on him in just the right way, illuminating his angular features and giving his eyes a mischievous look, and all rational thought flew out of Rick’s head. Sitting in the dark, looking at Daryl standing in front of him, the flashing lights falling on his hair that even combed had that wild feeling to it, Rick couldn’t help but gasp aloud. He wasn’t a cop for nothing - had he met Daryl in a dark alley, he would have done his best to keep him within his sight to avoid any trouble. He could see that Daryl was dangerous, even standing there in a suit that was a bit too tight in the shoulders. It should have made Rick scared. It only made him _horny_.

And then, Daryl moved forward and stepped inside the closet, the door falling shut behind him, and Rick felt a shiver thunder down his spine. He squished the urge to back up against the nearest wall and just stood where he was, swaying from too much alcohol, letting Daryl find him in the darkness. Soon enough, a hand landed on his shoulder, then another, and then Rick was being walked backwards, pushed against a wall and kissed senseless. Daryl’s hands wandered down his body and Rick answered in kind, throwing one hand behind Daryl’s neck and groping at his ass with the other, moaning into the kiss when Daryl sucked at his lip. Then he sucked at his _tongue_ and _oh fuck,_ but nobody had ever done _that_ and it went straight to Rick’s cock. He arched up, grinding his hips into Daryl’s body, giving a broken groan when Daryl placed both hands on his ass and _squeezed_ , bringing them even closer together. He could feel Daryl’s hard length through the thin layer of his dress pants, the heat of it making Rick’s head buzz harder than any alcohol ever could.

Daryl’s weight eased off and he leaned away and Rick was about to protest at the loss, but he felt hands tugging hurriedly at his belt. The buckle finally gave and Rick sighed in relief when those same hands grabbed his length and pulled it out, giving it a few long strokes.  
“Oh fuck” he breathed out and Daryl chuckled, shifting a bit, changing the grip he had on Rick, starting to jerk him off at a steady pace that was sure to bring him off sooner rather than later. Daryl’s other hand wandered to his ass and squeezed some more, sending little sparks up Rick’s spine and making him dizzy with arousal. He leaned in, blindly seeking Daryl’s lips, cursing the dark room they were in for not being able to see. Thankfully, by some supernatural ability, Daryl sought him out, too, and their mouths crashed together hungrily, messily. The kiss lasted for a long time, little biting nips and dirty strokes of their tongues, both of them moaning loud enough to be glad the music outside was still pounding.

Just as this line of thoughts made Rick wish for another kind of _pounding_ , his alcohol-addled brain whispering to him that _yes, it was a splendid idea_ , the lights around them lit up and he groaned, trying to shield his eyes from the onslaught of brightness falling into them.  
“What the fuck?” Someone shouted and Rick cringed, recognizing the voice. A small, shocked “Rick?” that followed made him want to pray for the floor to open and swallow him whole. He turned to the voices reluctantly, noticing how Daryl was still plastered to his front, frozen in place.

Lori and Shane were standing inside the little closet, Shane’s hand on the light switch, his mouth open as he took the scene in. It was the precise moment Daryl chose to pull away, regaining some of his brain functions, and he stepped forward, blocking Rick out of the view. Rick used the time to tuck himself back in, no longer hard after such a fucked up surprise. Once he was done zipping and buckling himself up, he moved forward and stood next to Daryl, eyes taking in Lori and Shane who were eyeing him with stupid expressions on their faces. Even Shane’s hand was still hovering over that damned light switch and Rick had a ridiculous urge to laugh at the picture.

Up until he saw where Lori’s hand was.

_Fucking hell._

Her fingers were halfway down Shane’s zipper and, by the looks of it, she knew exactly what she was looking for. Rick could feel his eyebrows raising to his hairline and the shock must have showed on his face because the next moment, Lori was hastily tearing her hand away and smoothing out her dress.  
“What are you doing, Rick?” She asked, voice demanding, just as soon as she was done righting herself. Rick frowned, opening his mouth to answer, when Daryl piped in.  
“What does it look like to ya?” He gruffed out and Rick just stood there, looking at Lori. He could almost see the gears shifting in her mind. And then, an angry expression crossed her features and really, Rick had had enough of this shit to know she was getting ready for a fight. He had also had enough of fights with her, so he calmly took Daryl by the hand and, ignoring the surprised huff he had received from the man, started to calmly walk out of the closet.

Shane had the good grace not to say a thing and step to the side, almost flattening himself against the wall in the tiny space to let them pass. He looked resolutely down when Rick gave him a cold stare, but he didn’t try to get into the conversation. A conversation Rick was done with before it had even begun.

Apparently, Lori wasn’t.

She grabbed Rick’s arm just as he was stepping through the door and tugged on it, trying to get his attention. Rick stopped in place, taking a few calming breaths, feeling how the alcohol made his body sway in place. Daryl was in front of him and he turned around, sensing trouble.  
“You can’t go like this, Rick!” Lori said loud enough to be heard above the music. Rick sighed and turned around.  
“And why not? We’re separated. We’re _divorcing,_ Lori” Rick tried to stop the argument before it got too messy. He tugged his arm free and started walking again, only to hear more pleading from Lori. They were almost halfway through the room when he words stopped him in his tracks.

“Fine! Go with that _fag_ if you want! Just don’t come home and beg me to let you back in” she screamed, louder than music around them. And then the music disappeared and everyone was silent. Rick felt Daryl tense next to him at the word ‘fag’ and he decided he had had enough. He spun around and walked back to Lori, getting into her space and staring at her intently, trying to get the message through.  
“The only way I’d beg you to let me in would be to take my stuff out of there” he seethed and Daryl watched from afar, wanting to step in but not sure how much good would that do. He saw the guy Lori had been with walking out of the closet finally, but Daryl paid him no mind.

“You won’t have to! I’ll throw it out for you on the driveway, you can pick it from there!” Lori shouted, getting more and more wound up. “I don’t know why it’s still in there, anyway! You were never home!”  
“I was working to provide for it all!” Rick growled, throwing his hands around.  
“Work, work, work! I don’t believe you Rick! How do I know you didn’t stay late to bang some kind of a whore!? How do I know you were working and not cheating on me?” Lori asked, voice high and angry. Rick was so taken aback by her comment that he actually laughed.  
“Look how the mighty have fallen…” he scoffed, shaking his head. “I would never do that to you, Lori… you looked like you knew what you were doing back there, though” Rick pointed at the closet, eyes never leaving Lori’s face. There was a tiny grimace, a small twitch at the corner of her eye, and the realization his him like a freight train. “How long?” He asked, but Lori bit her lip and refused to answer. _“How long, Lori?”_ Rick demanded, taking a step forwards.

“You have no right to ask me this, Rick” she spat and Rick shook his head.  
“I have _every_ right! You went and cheated on me, and now you have the audacity to accuse _me_ of cheating?” Rick ground out through gritted teeth and Lori actually looked shocked for a second. Then she gave him a mean scowl.  
“Oh yes? Then what was that, Rick?” She asked, pointing at Daryl, who moved to the side and plopped down on one of the chairs, still within Rick’s reach just in case.  
“We’re _separated_ , Lori, I never did anything before that! I’m not some kind of a cheating shit like you!” Rick roared and she flinched.

Daryl watched as they argued, absentmindedly noting how all the wedding guests gathered around them, looking with wide eyes and whispering between themselves. He sighed, shrugging, waiting patiently for the ex-lovers’ spat to be finished. He really wanted to take Rick home. Fuck the wedding and _fuck Lori._ He was only glad that Andrea and Michonne weren’t in the room right now - had probably gone outside to see Andrea’s sister off going by Amy’s absence as well. Daryl prayed they wouldn’t come back until that shitstorm was over.

“Want some?” Someone asked next to him and Daryl looked up, seeing the guy from the closet standing at his side, holding a bottle of vodka in his left hand, nudging a second one against Daryl’s shoulder with his right. Daryl took the bottle and moved his chair a bit, letting the guy take another one out from under the table and sit on it.  
“I’m Shane” he introduced himself, raising the bottle up in toast and Daryl shrugged, opening his own bottle and bringing them both together with a quiet _clank._  
“Daryl” he nodded and took a sip. It burned his throat pleasantly and he hummed.

“Oh, aren’t you a fucking _lamb_ right now, Lori!” Rick shouted angrily.

“Good one” Shane muttered, taking a hearty gulp and Daryl nodded, doing the same. They kept on watching the fight, drinking every time a more creative insult was thrown.

“So how long was it? Weeks? _Months?”_ Rick spat.

Shane cringed hard, taking a long sip.  
“Man, it was the _first_ time… I mean” he eyed Daryl from the corner of his eye, noticing how Daryl’s own eyes were glued to Rick. “I’ve never done anything with her…”  
“Uh-uh” Daryl nodded, not really caring.  
“I thought that now, when their marriage was over, I could take a chance on her, y’know?” He mused, eyes drifting to Lori. He shook his head. “Damn. I didn’t know she could be like this. I’m not getting into _that_ ” he sighed and Daryl scoffed.  
“God knows why Rick got into that” he inclined his head in Lori’s direction and Shane nodded solemnly.

“Why did I try to keep this going?” Rick asked somewhere in the background, voice sounding genuinely shocked. “I would explain it to you, Lor, but I don’t have crayons here!”

Daryl snorted and Shane giggled, the alcohol they’ve been consuming getting to them. Someone from the crowd shouted “Ten points to Gryffindor” and they both looked at each other with raised eyebrows.  
“Ya know what’s that?” Daryl asked and Shane shook his head. They both took a penalty sip.  
“Man, he’s hot like this” Shane mused, eyes focused on Rick. Daryl stopped himself from growling.  
“Yeah, and ya opted to fuck his wife instead” Daryl accused, giving him a scowl. Shane raised both arms up, the bottle still clutched tightly in his left hand.  
“Hey, it’s not like I thought I’d have a chance with him” Shane explained and Daryl grunted.  
“That’s right. He’s mine” he sent Shane one more mean squint and went back to contemplating Rick in his full _anger mode_. He was a sight to behold, all fiery eyes and wild curls, jaw set so tightly Daryl could easily see the muscles in his cheek jumping. He took another sip of vodka, wincing at the strong taste and looked up when everything fell quiet once more.

“What?” Rick asked in a small, quiet voice and Daryl felt his stomach drop to his feet. That sounded _so fucking wrong._  He got up, giving Shane his bottle to keep for the time being, and made his way to the fighting pair.  
“I said, _Judith is not yours"_ Lori repeated her previous statement with so much venom, Daryl actually cringed. He walked to Rick, saw the wetness gathering at the corners of his eyes and cursed quietly.  
“Wait here” he whispered, just loud enough for Rick to hear him, before he spun around and stepped closer to Lori.  
“Get away from me, you fag” she spat, but Daryl grabbed her by her arm with all the gentleness of a furious tiger and decidedly tugged her through the corridor and in the direction of the doorway.  
“Tha’s enough fer ya, lady” he growled, not letting up until they were stepping through the threshold.

Daryl took Lori’s bag and coat from the rack nearby and pushed them both into her hands, closing the door into her angry face. He sighed and leaned back against the door, trying to compose himself a bit. Seeing Rick’s teary eyes tugged at something inside him hard and he was seriously unprepared for this kind of shit. He groaned, shook himself off and walked back into the room.

...just in time to see Shane positively _pawing_ at Rick.

In the time Daryl was gone, Rick had relocated to the empty chair beside Shane, and his friend had his hands all over him, rubbing his back soothingly, patting his knee, _sneaking around his waist in a loose hug_ … Shane was also shirtless, the crumpled up material held in the hand not occupied with groping Rick, dabbing at Rick’s cheeks while he whispered nonsense under his breath.  
“The fuck are ya doin’?” Daryl growled as soon as he was within their earshot. Shane jumped back, almost dislocating a very confused Rick from his shoulder, and Daryl scowled at Rick’s friend, giving him the meanest squint he had - the kind that would melt the knees right out from Merle’s shitty, meth-head friends. “Keep yer mitts off ‘im” Daryl seethed and Shane gulped, taking in Daryl’s posture, opening his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Michonne’s voice ringing through the room.

“What is going on here?” She asked and Daryl turned around, spotting her near the door. Andrea was standing right next to her, a shocked expression on her face as she surveyed the crowd. Everyone turned to their tables, suddenly busy with their food now that the show was over, and Daryl wanted to punch every single one of them. _Fucking vultures_.

Michonne walked towards them, white dress gleaming in the colorful lights falling from the ceiling, and Daryl was painfully aware of how he had let those couple of hotheads ruin her day. He looked guiltily to the floor, but Michonne paid him no mind as she wandered over to Rick and knelt next to him, looking up into his face.  
“What happened?” She asked softly and Daryl only now remembered that they had served together once. Rick mumbled something and put his face into his hands, and Michonne shook her head hard.  
“Don’t worry about it. It’s okay. No wedding without a fight, right?” She smiled a little here and Rick looked at her again. “It’s my fault anyway. I invited her” she soothed and looked at Daryl with gentle eyes.  
“Thanks for getting her out of here” she said and Daryl could only stare at her, strangely relieved.

Andrea joined them a moment later, after she okayed it with the catering to serve some ice cream and coffee.  
“You alright?” She asked Rick, who nodded, then shook his head.  
“I should go home” he muttered, sighing. Michonne frowned.  
“To Lori?”  
“Don’t know” Rick sighed, deflating like a sad balloon. “Fuck!” He scrubbed a hand over his face.  
“Daryl can take you in for the night” Andrea piped in, then turned to look at Daryl. “Don’t you?” She asked with a mischievous smile and Daryl could feel himself blush. Which was ridiculous, he was a grown ass man and Rick was just in need… _oh, fuck it._

“Come on, Darleena, be a man” Merle suddenly appeared behind him and Daryl spun around so fast he thought he would get a whiplash. He eyed his brother, getting ready for a fight, when he spotted the small smile Merle was wearing.  
“What?” Daryl demanded, squinting at him and Merle only laughed.  
“Nothin’ baby brother. I’m just sayin’ ya should help t’is here fine officer” he held both of his hands up in a mockery of surrender and Daryl growled. “I ain’t gonna be comin’ home today, found a beautiful lady to keep me company” he waggled his eyebrows and Daryl groaned. He hated it when Merle surprised him like that.

Sure, Merle had known for a long time that Daryl was gay, but he had never approved of it so openly. And to hear him telling Daryl to take a guy home was more than he had ever imagined he would get.  
“Fine” he sighed, trying to cover how giddy he felt, and turned to Rick only to be faced with red-rimmed, crystal blue eyes staring at him hopefully. “Come on” Daryl rasped out before he lost his nerve and gave Rick a hand to help him up. It was one thing to get into a dark closet with him for a bit of groping, but going home with him in front of the whole fucking audience was a bit much.

Rick swayed unsteadily once he was on his feet, and Daryl wrapped one arm around his waist to ground him, throwing Michonne a look.  
“Ya gonna be alright here?” He asked, not keen on leaving if he was still needed. Michonne nodded and smirked.  
“We still have Shane” she smirked, pointing to Shane who was numbly doing up the buttons of his shirt that, thankfully, was back on his shoulders. “We’ll be fine” she promised. “Go, get him home.”

 

-&-

 

It was easier said than done.

Daryl ordered a taxi as they put on their jackets and they went out to wait for it. It was a beautiful night, the late August chill having just settled in, and Rick wanted to breathe in some fresh air after being cooped up inside the ballroom for the whole day. Daryl agreed and now here they were, Rick muttering something about stars and the moon, his left arm wrapped around Daryl’s hips for support, while his right traced small circles on Daryl’s abdomen through the thin material of his shirt. Rick’s fingers dipped between the buttons from time to time, absentmindedly stroking over Daryl’s skin, and Daryl felt a shiver running down his spine that had nothing to do with the temperature outside. Just as he was figuring out the best surface to lay Rick down on, a taxi pulled up. Reluctantly, Daryl drew away from Rick, helped him into the car and went around to get on the other side.

The drive was pleasant and mercifully quick, for which Daryl was glad. He wasn’t sure how long he would play the nice guy’s role with Rick’s hands all over his crotch. And _fuck_ , but was Rick determined. He squeezed and groped, trying to open Daryl’s zipper as if he was on a mission from god, and Daryl was this close to actually letting him. At least until the driver cleared his throat rather loudly and Daryl reluctantly took Rick’s hands into his own to stop their wandering. Rick gave a very displeased groan but let Daryl hold his hands, resting his forehead on Daryl’s shoulder and sighing.

By the time they stepped out of the car and onto the beaten path leading to a small cabin, Daryl could already feel the effects of Shane’s vodka on him. His head started to swim and his whole body buzzed pleasantly and getting into bed with Rick sounded like a splendid idea right now. He paid the driver and took Rick by the hand, leading him inside and into his bedroom. Rick stumbled behind him, exhaustion and alcohol making his already bow-legged gait more uneven. They tumbled into the bed in a heap and Rick laughed as Daryl rolled them over, pinning him to the mattress. He took a look at Rick’s tired eyes, thankfully not red anymore, and kissed him soundly. Rick answered with a sloppy tongue and uncoordinated bites and Daryl snorted, crawling lower, licking a stripe up Rick’s neck and then kissing his way down his chest, unbuttoning the shirt as he went. Rick arched up into him with a quiet hum and Daryl felt Rick’s belt digging into his stomach and - for the second time that night - went to open it. His mouth was focused on licking and sucking at Rick’s nipples, dragging his lips through the fine hair that covered the man’s chest until Daryl was satisfied with his exploration. It took a while, but he finally managed to get rid of the belt, unzipping the trousers Rick had on and pulling them down those long legs. When he attempted to take them all the way off, he noticed the lack of cooperation on Rick’s part. Looking up in question, Daryl huffed out in disbelief.

There, in the middle of his bed, curls all over the place, a serene expression on his handsome features, was Rick. _Snoring softly_.

The picture he painted in that moment made Daryl snort and he got up, taking off Rick’s trousers and throwing them to the floor along with his socks. He figured the poor guy had enough excitement for one day, even if Rick’s cock had still been half-hard inside his dark boxer briefs. Shaking his head, Daryl took off his own suit and shirt, until he was clad only in his underwear. He gently tugged the comforter from underneath Rick, sparing a thought on Rick’s shirt that had still been on Rick’s shoulders. Thinking about how mighty uncomfortable the man would be, Daryl gently took it off, trying not to wake him.

Rick stirred somewhere between the first and the second sleeve and Daryl cursed quietly when, instead of being confused, Rick just attached himself sloppily to the first part of Daryl’s skin he could find. _Of course_ it had been his collarbone, the one place that set Daryl absolutely wild when sucked on. Rick hummed happily when he managed to draw a groan out of Daryl and leaned back to look at him as soon as the shirt was off.  
“Top or bottom?” Rick mumbled, sleepy gaze fixed on Daryl.  
“Left side of the bed” Daryl rolled his eyes, and then proceeded to roll _Rick_ around, spooning up behind him.  
“Hey, m’ wife cheated on me, my kid’s not mine, an’…” Rick slurred, yawning in the middle of it. _Damn him for being so cute,_ Daryl thought. “...an’ you’re kinda hot…” Another yawn stifled in his hand. “Let’s fuck?” He asked. Daryl tugged the comforter over them and wrapped his arms around Rick’s waist.

“Mhm… tomorrow” Daryl gave a yawn of his own, closing his eyes and pressing his forehead into Rick’s shoulder.  
“But… ‘morrow is too far ‘way” Rick whined, _honest to god whined,_ trying to turn around, but Daryl stopped him.  
“I ain’t into fucking corpses, Rick. Sleep” he warned, tightening his arms. Rick grumbled something else out, but settled down finally. Daryl felt himself drifting off, listening to Rick’s even breathing.

 

-&-

 

The morning came with sunshine glaring straight into Daryl’s eyes and he turned around with a groan, trying to shield his face from the brightness. There was some rustling from behind him, and before he could react, a hand sneaked around his waist and a warm body pressed to his back. Daryl froze, remembering only now that he was in his underwear and that Rick was with him in his bed. He also remembered how plastered Rick had been the previous night and started to think on a good excuse for their current situation. Usually, Daryl’s one night stands didn’t stay till morning, so he was a bit at loss at what to say. Especially that they hadn’t really done anything.

“Fuckin’ head hurts” Rick mumbled into Daryl’s shoulder, pressing his lips to the warm skin and sighing. He felt Daryl tense in his arms and frowned.  
“Rick?”  
“Mhm?”  
“How drunk were ya last night?” Daryl asked, a tone of hesitation in his voice.  
“Not drunk enough to forget the wedding” Rick answered. He shifted a bit, adjusting his position so that he could comfortably slip his other hand under Daryl’s waist, too.

Daryl just stayed still, trying hard not to think about the warmth of Rick’s hands on his abdomen. But then, those hands moved and Daryl had troubles staying still when one of them traveled to his chest and started drawing small circles with careful fingertips. The other went lower, skimming over the waistband of his underwear, dipping past the material and landing on his thigh. He groaned when fingers - roughened by gun use - pressed into the soft skin and dragged over it, making his hair stand on end.  
“Sorry I was too drunk yesterday” Rick murmured behind him and Daryl swallowed hard. Rick’s voice was raspy and low, a combination that shot straight to his cock.  
“Thought ya forgot ‘bout it” Daryl whispered, licking his lips when Rick’s hand traveled back up, landing on his groin and seeking out his shape through the soft cotton. Rick huffed a breath millimeters from Daryl’s neck, the warm puff of air making him shiver.  
“Couldn’t” Rick breathed into his skin, the hand on Daryl’s junk moving slowly, feeling him getting hard. “Been dreaming about this” Rick said, squeezing and Daryl arched back with a small moan.

God, Rick was just too intoxicating. And talkative, the _smooth fucker_. Daryl told him as much. Rick only chuckled, pressing his own hips into Daryl’s ass, grinding his hard-on into it, groaning at the feeling. Daryl bit his lip, Rick’s blatant interest lighting fire in the pit of his stomach. He threw one hand back over his shoulder, blindly tangling his fingers in Rick’s curls and tugging at them. Rick surged against him, rutting into his ass and stifling a moan against Daryl’s shoulder. One of his hands kept Daryl in place as the second one finally - _finally_ \- slipped under the waistband.

Rick wrapped his fingers around Daryl’s length in a loose fist, moving it slowly up and down, the teasing touch enough to make Daryl buck into it, seeking more friction. It caused Rick to chuckle behind him, a dark sound full of promise that went straight to Daryl’s dick.  
“Stop teasin’” he growled, gripping the covers with his free hand and raising one leg for leverage.  
“Why, you in a hurry?” Rick asked, biting at the place where Daryl’s neck met with his shoulder, drawing a quiet moan out of him.  
“Nah, jus’ been waitin’ fer that since yesterday” Daryl rasped, deciding he had enough of slow.

He let go of Rick’s hair and turned around, facing Rick and diving in for a kiss. Rick opened his mouth immediately, letting Daryl plunge his tongue in, sucking on it - something he had learned from the man himself just the previous day. Daryl shuddered against him and moved, flipping Rick onto his back and climbing on top of him. Rick gave a surprised huff when Daryl pawed at his underwear, helping Daryl out of his own and soon, they were both naked and grinding into each other.  
_“Christ,_ Daryl!” Rick groaned, arching up, letting Daryl leave a scorching trail down his back with his nails. The heat between them was building, the friction driving him mad. It shouldn’t be as comfortable as it felt, but he’d been on edge since the previous day, so it was okay. They were both getting slippery anyway, so the drag of flesh on flesh eased quickly enough, making him tingle all over.

Rick brought his left leg up and draped it over Daryl’s ass - his other was trapped between Daryl’s thighs - and urged him on, squirming in place, both arms wrapping around Daryl’s chest and gliding down his back. Daryl’s hips stuttered and he cursed under his breath, the sound of it mixing with a loud moan Rick could definitely get drunk on. And then, Daryl was turning his head and pushing his face into Rick’s neck, mouthing up its length until he got to Rick’s ear. Soft lips traced the shell and moved behind it, finding the one spot that could make Rick go soft in the knees. He whimpered when Daryl sucked just behind his ear, one of Daryl’s hands going to Rick’s ass and squeezing it, tilting Rick’s hips up as Daryl thrust against him and Rick was flying.

He came with a loud groan that sounded almost as if someone had punched him, Daryl’s name chasing it like a mantra. He breathed in a few desperate breaths, his whole body shaking with the force of his climax. Daryl kept moving, chasing his own release and Rick held him through it, _holding on for the ride really_ , thinking how it had never been like this with Lori. Daryl grunted and then stilled, his whole body twitching as he spilled between them, pressing as close as he could to Rick, almost as if he wanted to merge them together. Rick didn’t mind, quite the opposite, in fact. He was perfectly content to lie there and let Daryl squeeze the living daylights out of him, still panting as if he had just run a marathon.

It took them a while, but they finally disentangled themselves and Daryl plopped on the bed next to him, lying on his back. Rick closed his eyes, trying to stop the mad giggle that threatened to escape. He was happy, so fucking _happy,_ it was almost too much to hold inside. He must have made a sound, because Daryl grunted and Rick could feel his eyes on him.  
“What?”  
“Nothing, just… That was wild” Rick huffed out, managing not to laugh. They fell quiet for a longer moment, and different scenarios started forming in Rick’s brain. Who could blame him? He had never had sex that wild in his life and he felt as if he’d just stepped into a fucking Narnia or something. And Daryl was the lion, apparently. Rick had never read the book, but he had heard the title from Carl - the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe… Well, Rick was officially out of the closet now. And if Daryl was the lion, then did it make Lori into the witch?

This time Rick did laugh aloud. He heard Daryl shift next to him and when he opened his eyes, Daryl was looking at him as if he had lost his mind. Rick shook his head, still grinning and Daryl squinted at him, his narrow eyes glimmering in the sunshine still falling into the room.  
“T’ hell is wrong with ya?” He asked, but there was that undercurrent of amusement in his voice, and so Rick didn’t feel concerned.  
“I’m just thinking…”  
“‘bout what?” Daryl asked, turning to face him. One of the scenarios that had been flying through Rick’s mind just moments before came back and he licked his lips, staring right into Daryl’s eyes.  
“About how the next time I want you inside me” Rick growled diving in for a kiss. Daryl was frozen in place, before his brain finally got on with the program and he answered the kiss, tangling his tongue with Rick’s with a small moan.

They didn’t get far with that, though. Rick’s phone ringed about two minutes later and Rick picked it up with an angry snarl, greeting Shane rather coldly.  
“Rick, man, you gotta get here and pick up your shit” Shane rattled into the phone, sounding rather concerned.  
“What?”  
“Lori went mad… she threw all your stuff out of the house and I’m trying to get it inside my car, but it’s starting to rain and-”  
_“What?”_ This time Rick’s snarl made Daryl jerk his head up to look at him. “You leave my stuff and thangs where they are, got that Shane?” Rick snapped at him and cut the call.

“The hell happened?” Daryl asked, feeling his hackles raising when he took in Rick’s tightly clenched jaw.  
_“Shane._ Lori threw my stuff out on the pavement, he’s picking it up…” Rick sighed. “Dunno why…”  
“Maybe he’s trying to say _sorry”_ Daryl offered, but there was a smirk on his face.  
“Sorry for fucking my wife for a few months?” Rick asked tightly. Daryl shook his head.  
“He didn’t. Told me at t’ weddin’. It was t’ first time he tried, ‘cause ya were divorcin’” Daryl recalled, moving closer to Rick and wrapping his arms around Rick’s waist, pressing his chest to Rick’s back.  
“Guess that redeems him a little” Rick sighed, leaning back and enjoying Daryl’s warmth.

“Should go and get my thangs before they get wet” he muttered just as Daryl placed a kiss on his shoulder.  
“Wet? Lori cryin’ already?”  
“Nah, apparently it started to rain there” Rick looked at the window, noticing how the horizon had gotten gray with heavy clouds.  
“The fuck is your place at, Bolivia?” Daryl snorted but let him go, getting up and out of bed. Rick followed.  
“Just three or four miles from here. And it’s not my place anymore” He muttered the last sentence under his breath and Daryl frowned.  
“Ya know, you can crash here…” that brought Rick up short.

“What about your brother?” He asked, tugging on his trousers. Daryl shrugged, fighting with his own clothes.  
“We have two bedrooms, ya know?” He threw Rick a glance and brought one hand to his mouth, gnawing at the thumb. “Unless ya don’t wanna.”

Rick looked at him - really looked - taking in the tense shoulders and the frown, those beautiful narrowed eyes that had somehow lost their glimmer in the last few minutes, and he cursed. He let the shirt fall from his hands and moved to Daryl, grabbing his hand and tugging it away, before he replaced Daryl’s thumb with his own lips.  
“I’d love to” he whispered into his mouth as soon as they broke apart for some much needed air. Daryl smiled then, actually smiled at him and Rick thought it was the best decision ever.

They finished getting dressed, took Daryl’s truck and went over to Rick’s old house, finding Shane sitting on the porch. There was a pile of Rick’s things next to him, shielded from rain by the roof. They packed everything into Daryl’s truck, brushing off Shane’s attempts at apologies. Rick counted it a small success that he managed not to punch him right in front of his old house. Just as he was going to get inside the truck he stopped, looking at his hand.  
“Wait a second” he told Daryl, turning around and making his way to the house. When he emerged a minute later, his step was lighter as he walked back to the truck and got in. Daryl looked at him questioningly, but Rick just smiled and shook his head.

They drove back to Daryl’s place. It was only a few hours later when Rick had his hand on Daryl’s cock that Daryl noticed the absence of Rick’s wedding ring.

_He replaced it a few months later with a ring of his own._


End file.
